Your Blogging Staff

Contributing to this blog:
- "Dave" is Dave Barry, who is a humor columnist and presidential contender.
- "judi" is Judi Smith, who is Dave's Research Department, as well as being interested in men.
- "Walter" is Walter, a bone from the penis of a walrus.

On November 7th, 2006, the good people of Miami-Dade County and Monroe County will VOTE either Yes or No for the retention of three Judges of the Third District Court of Appeal. Most people do not realize that the Third District Court of Appeal is the last appeal available to the citizens of Miami-Dade County and Monroe County on almost every legal issue. A loss in the Third District Court of Appeal almost always may never be appealed to the Florida Supreme Court, leaving a litigant only one appeal to the United States Supreme Court which will likely be denied very quickly. The United States Supreme Court accepts for review less than 1% of all appeals filed in their court, in addition just the printing cost of the briefs in this court will set you back $5-k.

The Third District Court of Appeal has literally in essence denied almost 50% of all the appeals filed by the citizens of Miami-Dade County and Monroe County, by issuing what is called a PCA, meaning the Court denies the review without any reason. Although the Florida constitution guarantees the right of appeal, the Third District Court of Appeal has side swiped this right by issuing a PCA denial of review. All PCA orders in Florida are NOT reviewable by the Florida Supreme Court and any attempt to seek review by the Florida Supreme Court will be denied on its face by the Clerk of the Florida Supreme Court (this decision is by choice of the current justices of the Florida Supreme Court). As noted filing an appeal to the United States Supreme Court is basically useless.

This November 7th, 2006, is the opportunity for the Voters of Miami-Dade County and Monroe County to send a message to the Third District Court of Appeal that we will not tolerate not being allowed meaningful appeals. An appeal is a right guaranteed by the Florida constitution, for example you could lose your, freedom, child custody, house, life savings and so much more by a trial court who might not follow the law and on appeal the Third District Court could simply say PCA without any explanation. Some have written on the subject that it is because of lazy Judges that sit on the Third District Court of Appeal that over 50% of the appeals are PCA denied without reason.

Miami-Dade County has been known as the capital of judicial corruption since the F.B.I. sting of the 90's titled "Operation Court Broom" that nailed several Miami-Dade Judges who took money bribes to fix the results of cases. In Miami it means so much more to get meaningful due process and provided a reason why you lose your freedom, house, car, life savings, etc;. When justice does not work in a town full of history of corrupt Judges it gives the appearance of impropriety. A detailed account of “Operation Court Broom” and the resulting indictments and trials, including the trial of Judge Sepe, is contained in the opinion in United States v. Shenberg, 89 F.3d 1461 (11th Cir. 1996), cert. denied sub nom. Sepe v. United States, 117 S.Ct. 961 (1997). CLICK HERE to read the details of this case.

No appeals Judge in any Florida appeals court has ever been removed by the voters. We believe it takes 51% of the voters to vote "NO" for the Judge to be removed. For a list of all the current Judges on the Third District Court of Appeal with picture and biography, CLICK HERE .

Here are the names of the Judges up for retention on November 7, 2006 :

This is not as ironic as it seems. It works by igniting a larger, fast-burning competing fire that rapidly consumes all available oxygen. Consequently it is A) made out of extremely flammable material that B) only extinguishes fires in enclosed spaces. You can see how a factory would quickly burn down if the supply of the active chemical ignited.